On September 9, 2023, Belgium announced a significant humanitarian effort by allocating 5 million euros to assist victims of the recent earthquake in Morocco and support the critical

reconstruction efforts. Caroline Gennez, Belgium's Minister of Development Cooperation from the Vooruit party, made this announcement on Saturday.

The devastating earthquake, which struck late on Friday night, resulted in a tragic loss of life, with at least 1,037 people reported dead, and another 672 individuals injured, including 205 seriously. The earthquake had a magnitude of 6.8 and caused widespread destruction, particularly in Marrakesh and surrounding areas. Its epicenter was located in the High Atlas Mountains, making access to more remote areas challenging due to blocked roads and unreliable communications.

Minister Gennez stated, "We are considering deploying a B-FAST medical team, and we are awaiting a specific request from Morocco for this assistance." Additionally, Belgium's Foreign Affairs Minister, Hadja Lahbib, has reached out to her Moroccan counterpart to offer Belgium's support.

In addition to the national aid contribution, Belgium's regions are also providing immediate financial support to the earthquake victims. Flanders has allocated 200,000 euros, Wallonia has made 500,000 euros available, and Brussels has pledged 180,000 euros. These commitments were jointly announced by the three regional governments on Saturday.

The Belgian Red Cross has initiated a public appeal for donations directed towards the Moroccan Red Crescent, which is actively engaged in emergency relief efforts. These efforts encompass search and rescue operations as well as ambulance transport. Donations can be made through croix-rouge.be.

Meanwhile, the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established an emergency hotline, reachable at +32 2 501 4000, to provide assistance to affected Belgians and their families. Officially, about 630 Belgians are known to be in the affected region, including both residents of Morocco and those who have registered their travel with the ministry. However, the actual number of people in the region may be considerably higher.

Tour operator TUI Belgium has reported having more than 400 tourists in Marrakesh and the popular coastal city of Agadir at the time of the earthquake. A spokesperson from TUI Belgium stated, "During the night, travelers were evacuated from their hotels for a security check," adding that "All travelers were able to return to their hotels in Agadir. In Marrakesh, travelers are gradually returning to their hotels."

The impact of the earthquake extended beyond Morocco, with Spain and Portugal also feeling its tremors. The emergency call center for Andalusia in southern Spain received over 20 calls shortly after midnight, according to the organization's social media posts. Similarly, authorities in southern Portugal received reports of earthquake-related incidents, as confirmed by the Portuguese national news agency, Lusa. Photo by alyaoum24, Wikimedia commons.